Thomas j



1.1. W. BROWN.

GOLF HOLE LINING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 19l6.

l 1 94,8 1 Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

THOMAS J'. W. BROWN, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

GOLF-HOLE LINING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

Application filed May 16, 1916. Serial N 0. 97,933.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. TV. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf-Hole Linings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to the game of golf, and games of like character, but more particularly stated it relates to golfhole rims, or linings for the golf holes of putting greens. These holes are usually bored into the ground, or otherwise produced with great accuracy and precision as to standard requirements, and are ordinarily protected by a neatly fitting lining or run, provided with a funnel shaped interior section for receiving and retaining, in upright position, the flag sticks or standards used as hole markers upon the course.

As ordinarily constructed the hole-lining or rim, and particularly that central tubular portion designed to receive at times the low ermost end of a flag-stick or standard, becomes clogged by earthfrom the upper edge of the hole; moreover, this frequently becomes impacted Within the said tubular support to an extent which precludes the possibility of introducing the flag-stick or standard for the purpose of maintaining it in an upright or plumb position. Another frequent cause of trouble with ordinary cast rims or linings resulting from such clogging or impacted condition of their central tubular supports, is the trapping of rain water within the linings or hole rims, and as a consequence corrosion thereof.

To overcome the aforesaid disadvantages is, therefore, one object of the present invention.

Another object is the production of exceedingly simple, inexpensive and durable hole-rims or linings of unitary structure, arranged and adapted to be self-clearing of dirt, foreign matter, and water which may find its way into same.

Another object is to furnish improved means for accurately supporting marker sticks, or flag standards when required.

WVith the foregoing, and other objects and advantages in view, the invention will finally pointed Reference being had to the drawings and numerals thereon, 1 indicates the body portion, or walls of my improved golf-hole rim or lining, by preference of cylindrical form, and of cast iron or other suitable material.

At a point intermediate its ends the said body 1 is provided with an integral bottom member 2 of downwardly converging form, broken by a central aperture 3 as best shown by Fig. 2, for the purpose of receiving the lower end of a flag-stafi or marker standard A, as indicated by Fig. 1. Beneath the funnel-shaped bottom 2 thus formed, there is provided a plurality of vertical radially arranged ribs 4, which are also by preference cast integral with body portion 1 and with the bottom 2 aforesaid. These ribs A therefore extend inwardly from the inner periphery of the structure to points in vertical alinement with edges of the aperture 3, with which aperture they combine and cooperate to form a non-continuous support, and maintain marker standard A in an upright position when occasion requires.

The foregoing being an exemplification of my invention in one formof construction, its use and operation are self-evident to persons familiar with the game of golf, and need not, therefore, be dwelt upon. It should, however, be noted with what facility linings constructed in accordance with the spirit of my invention Will automatically clear themselves of dirt and water which might otherwise accumulate therein.

It is well understood that the extreme upper edges of golf hole-cups or linings are ordinarily located a trifle below the actual surface of putting greens, in order that there shall be no obstruction to the entrance of golf balls. As a result of this arrangement dirt in more or less pulverized condition, from the edges of holes, if oftentimes tramped into, or otherwise deposited upon the converging bottom 2 of such hole linings, and in like manner these linings are always open for the reception of rain or snow water. With my present invention, however, it will be apparent that particles of dirt or other foreign matter, and water, which may find passage through aperture 3, also finds ready and convenient egress through vertical spaces 5 of liberal dimensions, between the inner edges of the ribs or flanges l aforesaid. Moreover, the occasional introduction of the lower end of marker standards such as A, assists materially in effecting the clearance aforesaid, as must be obvious to the most casual observer; and, as a consequence, the non-continuous supporting means of skeleton form thus produced can not become clogged or impacted, and unsuited for its intended purposes as is frequently the case with the ordinary continuous tubular form and arrangement of marker supports.

As hereinbefore set forth and illustrated by the drawings of this application four radially arranged ribs or flanges 4 are contemplated combining at their adjacent edges to form a non-continuous marker support, and intervening clearance spaces 5, but it should be understood that the invention is broader than this, and I do not consider myself restricted to the particular form and arrangement of parts shown and described. On the contrary, various changes wholly within the scope and spirit of this invention may be made and substituted for parts shown and described without in the least cleparting from the spirit of the invention, and to these I lay claim the same as if herein set forth. For example, the same or very similar results, may be obtained by the employment of ribs at in triple or dual arrangement. Likewise, a tubular support of the Midlothian type may afford ready clearance for foreign matter and rain water, when slotted vertically from end to end as by saw-kerfs, or when perforated by relatively large openings therethrough.

Having thus described my invention what I now claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A lining for golf-holes comprising in combination a bottom member apertured to receive a marker standard, and a non-continuous skeleton support for the lowermost end of such standard depending from said bottom member.

2. A lining for golf-holes comprising in combination a downwardly converging bottom member apertured centrally to receive a marker standard, and a non-continuous skeleton support for the lowermost end of such standard depending from said bottom member.

3. A lining for golf-holes comprising in combination a bottom member apertured to receive a marker standard, and a plurality of independent flanges depending from said bottom member to form a non-continuous support for the lowermost end of said standard.

4. A cylindrical lining for golf-holes comprising in combination a centrally apertured downwardly converging bottom member intermediate its ends, and a plurality of independent radial flanges beneath said bottom member converging to the plane of its aforesaid aperture and adapted to cooperate therewith in producing a non-continuous support for said standards.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS J. WV. BROl/VN.

Witnesses:

CALVIN T. MILANS, WM. E. DYRE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

